The Iowa caucuses rarely pick the president. Here’s why they still matter

Iowa voters aren’t going to pick the country’s next president. But they will eliminate several possibilities.

The rap on the state, which begins the balloting with its Feb. 3 caucuses, is that it is too small and rural to speak for the rest of America.

However, the state's impact is undeniable.

In the last seven contested races for the Democratic nomination, five candidates went on to become the Democratic nominee after winning Iowa. Three winners of the New Hampshire primary, which traditionally follows soon after, went on to claim the nomination.

That is because the main function of the early states is to cull the field of hopefuls, separating the also-rans from candidates with a real shot at success.

No two campaigns are alike. But the past could provide some clues to what happens next.

Twenty-seven Democrats have had their names in the 2020 mix at one point or another. That is a record and more than the last four contested campaigns combined.

Most have already quit the race. Many more will make the choice after voters in Iowa and New Hampshire weigh in.

The closest examples to this election may be the 1984, 2004 and 2008 contests. Each was competitive with large – or so it seemed at the time – fields of eight candidates apiece.

Iowa trimmed the field each time. New Hampshire eliminated even more of those running. But the true reckoning came on so-called Super Tuesday, the coast-to-coast balloting extravaganza that takes place this year on March 3. (California will vote then along with 14 other states.)